There are so many things that happen during a week with nine Border Collies and it's fun to share....

Sunday

An Open Letter…

Sometimes things get under my skin especially when I have a dog in the fight or if I think it's wrong…This is both...

Earlier this week, I had an acquaintance contact me about helping out with rescue dogs, and she was turned down because in a couple of years…she might breed her purebred dog. The problem with this is she “might” and she was willing to help the life of a dog and possibly save its life or support the dog community through work or money NOW, and possible for some time and now "they" have cut any ties to her and the dogs actually lost out. I did post a question on the dog’s Facebook page concerning the same thing…and here are a few responses…On a personal note, I was going to rescue a dog at the local shelter, and after I did all the paperwork and the fee was more than a purebred, I said no…I just wanted a dog for the farm. I walked away and looked in the paper and got “free to good home” my first Border Collie, Max. How interesting would it be if every shelter/rescue worker had to fill out the form to adopt a dog, and how many would pass, and this is the same person who is making this decision…?

From a breeder;

So yes, one can do both, and be responsible for it, and then yes there are those that use the "rescue dog" to pull at people heart strings, to just obtain more money, which is really a shame, and some rescues/shelters, I do feel go a bit overboard with their rules, because that dog is missing out on a really great forever home.

She rescued a dog from a shelter that was destined to death and No BC rescue shelters in the 4 surrounding states would take him…and now he is happy because she took him and re-homed him and he it is one of many.

Another…

The rescues seem to only accept "perfect" applicants, and then get surprised when they have too many dogs. I’m not perfect by any means, but my 2 dogs have a great life. A rescue would never accept me, a single, working, city dweller, in a million years….

Another…

I agree totally. I get very tired of the "better than thou" attitude taken by so many of the rescue shelters. They practically want to know what time you are going to go to the potty yourself.....most make you fill out pages and pages of personal info......and IF you happen to tell them you might use anything else than a "Humane" collar or leash (according to their standards) or IF you mention the word "breeding" to them they tell you No, they cannot accept you. They are often missing the boat in their efforts to "rescue" a dog.

There were many responses and even personal messages and it’s like we are the enemy. I do rescue dogs and yes, I do breed them. I will be the first to say, leave it to the people who know and will react to a problem and always look for the dogs well being. No one should ever breed, and all dogs that are rescued, re-homed and even kept in the back yard should be spayed or neutered.

The question is…what do we do? I am in favor of stricter laws that govern this, especially the breeders. A possibility would be to team up the breeder and rescue/shelters together. Let’s face it. Most, (not all) breeders are in it because they love dogs and want to share the joy of them, but in the eyes of the rescue/shelter people, they will not even talk to us. Another solution would be, for every dog you sell, a portion would be destined for the relief of overpopulation and care. Many things can be done, but we need to do something more, and that’s, the gist of this letter…

This is a perfect time to do something. I realize not all people can foster a dog, but there is more. You can support financially, clean/visit, donate goods, transport and even shelter, you just have to make up your mind what to do. Glen Highland Farm, a Border Collie rescue in New York (501-C-3) even has info on Amazon, and you can buy a specific toy for a specific dog and here is a donation page on Amazon Glen Highland's Wishlist on Amazon

It automatically sends it to them, and there are many things under $10.

If breeders and shelter/rescue groups don’t stand together, we will fail and the problem will never be solved, please be responsible and do your part…remember it’s for the dog and when you hold their head in your hands and look very close into their eyes, you are looking at your own destiny. If you are involved with shelters, please know that we want to help...

Note…

I will donate a monetary amount of every litter our dogs have to a rescue and continue to help transport, feed, donate goods and supplies to anyone who ask for help and I will seek ones that don’t. I will, and have made a difference in the nearly 20 dogs we have re-homed...KenThe Dog's Facebook Page